Showing posts with label Chromebook resources. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chromebook resources. Show all posts

4 Powerful Apps for Creating Mind Maps on Chromebooks

11:31 AM  ,  

December 9, 2014
Here is a list I curated over the last weekend. The list features some of the best web tools teachers can use to create mind maps on Chromebooks. I have only included the ones I think are too simple and easy to use so any teacher can use them without any advanced technology knowledge. As I was trying these apps on my Chromebook, I discovered some glitches in the popular apps : blubber.us and Text to Mindmap so I did not include them, but you can try them out in your device if you want.

1- Lucid Chart

Lucidchart is an HTML5-based visual collaboration tool that makes drawing diagrams fast and easy. Work together with an unlimited number of others to create and edit diagrams in real time, with changes merged and synced instantaneously -- great for team collaboration.

2- MindMeister

MindMeister is another good app for creating mind maps.MindMeister is deeply integrated into Google Drive, allowing users to open and edit many mind map formats. Some of the things you can do with MindMeister include:

  •  Create, share and collaboratively edit mind maps
  • Import from Text, MindManager and Freemind
  • Export to Word, PowerPoint, PDF, image, MindManager and Freemind
  • Add icons, images, notes, links and attachments
  • Integrated live chat
  • Publish and embed maps
  • Task management and notifications


3- Mindomo

Mindomo allows you to visually outline complex concepts, tasks, ideas, and other related information in a structured form. Some of its features include:
  • Real-time collaboration
  •  Embedded video and audio files 
  •  Presentation Mode 
  •  Multiple layouts (mind map, concept map, org chart, tree org chart) 
  • Great variety of Import/Export formats 
  • Map customization by adding icons, colors, styles and map themes 
  •  Full map history, undo and redo functions 
  • Password protected mind maps 
  •  Comments and voting enabled on topics 
  • Multilevel numbering 
  •  Desktop version that enables users to work offline

Free online mind mapping web site, with realtime collaboration and cloud storage: Make a mind map online, free, and keep it in the cloud with Google Drive, Dropbox, GitHub and our free anonymous storage. MindMup is available everywhere: you can access your maps with a browser or a mobile device, and cloud storage ensures you have access to your data where ever you are, and the application works nicely with both desktop, tablet and mobile browsers.

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Three Powerful Note-taking Apps for Chromebooks

9:37 PM  ,  

November 2, 2014
I received a couple of emails asking about app recommendations to use for note-taking on Chromebook. So I decided to pull up this list and share it with all of you here. The three apps I highly recommend are listed below. I have come across a few other titles but I did not find them really worth sharing here. Have a look and as always share with us what you think of them.

1- Google Keep


Google Keep is an excellent tool to use for creating digital sticky notes. You can use both text and images to capture and share your notes.  You can also use it   to create to-do lists and bookmark content from the web.It has an intuitive and user friendly interface that makes it way simpler to navigate and control than is the case with several other note-taking apps out there.

2- Evernote

This is definitely one of the must have apps for taking notes and recording ideas. Evernote allows you to save all your notes and bookmarks into one single place that you can access across different devices. You can also use it to create task lists and to-dos, attach images and audio to your notes and many more.

3- Quick Note

This is another wonderful note taking app that is specifically designed for lightweight note-taking. There are different ways you can use this tool. You can for instance use it as a simple notepad, scratchpad, or clipboard. Quick Note offers some good features such as the ability to easily search your notes and access them with one click. You can also sync all your notes to the cloud and access them anywhere.

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Three Powerful Chromebook Tools to Collect Feedback from Students

10:52 PM  ,  

November 19, 2014
Today we received a request from a teacher asking about web tools to use on Chromebook for creating polls and surveys. We went through our archive and pulled out these titles. These are, we believe, among the best chromebook-compatible tools out there for designing polls, surveys, and collecting feedback from students. Check them out and share with us if you have more suggestions to add to this list:

1- Kahoot

Kahoot is a web tool that allows you to easily create and play quizzes, discussions or surveys ( Kahoots). Using a simple 'drag & drop' creator tool on any device, you can build quizzes with embedded imagery and video, based on educational content. Or, find public content to play. Kahoot also allows you to engage your audience and grab their attention by projecting the quiz onto the screen at the front. Without needing an account, everyone in the room quickly joins through their personal device, seeing their name appear at the front. Real time feedback is also supported.

2- Socrative

                                   

Saocrative is one of my favourite tools for getting feedback from users. Teachers can use the different question types provided by Socrative to poll their students and garner their feedback in a variety of formats using both smartphones or computers.


3- Poll Everywhere
Poll Everywhere is another powerful web tool to collect feedback from your audience. This tool provides you with a variety of templates and feedback forms to choose from.Audience answers in real time using mobile phones, Twitter, or web browsers. The neat feature I like the most about PollEverywhere is that it lets you see your response live on the web or in a PowerPoint or Keynote presentation.

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Powerful Chromebook Apps for Teachers

10:08 PM  ,  

November, 2014
Google's Chromebooks are growing in popularity, especially since teachers and students can use their Google accounts like a single sign-on. Here are some notable Chromebook apps to check out. They all have a website as well, so anyone can use these resources.


123ContactForm
Create quizzes, polls, and forms using this app's visual drag-and-drop editor.
 Work on the same diagrams and mind maps with colleagues in real-time with this app.
 Annotate, record, and track various sentences and passages from multiple websites into one place.
 Record any sound from your laptop's microphone with this very simple app.


Want more? Check out these collections .

Teacher Chrome Extensions 
This is curated by library media specialist Krista Welz.

This one is curated by instructional technology specialist Rafranz Davis.

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6 Good Chromebook Apps for Recording and Editing Audio

6:45 PM  ,  

October 30, 2014
Awhile back I received couple of emails from some teachers asking about some app recommendations to record and edit audio on Chromebooks. Below are some of the good tools I would suggest for this purpose. Please have a look and share with us what you think of them.


This is one of my favourite web tools for audio recording. Soundcloud is very easy to use and with once click you can start recording your own track. You can also upload sound tracks you have saved on your computer. Soundcloud also allows you to add comments to your audio tracks and share them with your students and friends.

2- Voice Recorder

Online Voice Recorder is a free simple application which records sound from microphone. After recording you can trim the sound and save it to your computer.



3-Vocaroo

Vocaroo is another web based tool that allows users to easily make audio recordings and share them with others. Vocaroo does not even require a sign-up and to start recording your audio, just head over to Vocaroo main page, click on record and there you go. Audio recording made by Vocaroo can be downloaded or shared using an embed code.
4- Twisted Wave


TwistedWave is a full featured audio editor that allows you to:  Edit audio files from your computer or your Google Drive, apply effects,  save in one of many supported file formats, and export the file back to your disk, Google Drive or SoundCloud.
5- Mic Note


Mic Note is a great tool that allows you to both record audio and take notes in the same time. Perfect for Lectures, Meetings, Conferences, Interviews, Brainstormings, Quick Notes, To-Do Lists, Plannings and more.

6- Spreaker


Spreaker gives you the chance to take part in a rich community of audio creators broadcasting thousands of shows, tracks, and playlists. Listen to rising talents, or upload your own creations to share easily with blogs, sites, and social networks. Step up to the mic by using the professional and easy to use DJ console, allowing you to mix voice, music, and effects that you’ll find in the cloud.

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A Good Tool to Create Tutorials and Sketches on Chromebook

8:10 PM    

October 17, 2014
I just learned through a tweet from  Jen Deyenberg that the popular Clarisketch is now available in the Chrome store. Chromebook users will now be able to create beautiful illustrations and tutorials to share with others. Clarisketch is pretty simple to use. You can gran a picture, draw on it, make sketches and record your voice to illustrate whatever you are drawing.The final sketch can be shared with others and be accessed in any browser.


" With Clarisketch, you can save time and improve the quality of your message using a combination of photographs and annotated commentary. There are a million and one uses for Clarisketch; the bonus is that friends and co-workers don’t need to install the programme to experience the advantages too. Sketch something, record a comment and share it with friends. Send your link to the sketch via email, Facebook, Google+, Twitter or other social networks."

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Remind (101) Is Now Available for Chromebook Users

11:21 PM    

October, 2014
The popular messaging tool Remind ( formerly Remind 101) is now available for Chromebook users. For those of you who are not yet familiar with this app,  Remind  "offers teachers a free, safe and simple way to instantly text students and parents. Teachers can send or schedule reminders, assignments, homework, assessments, or motivational messages directly to students' and parents' phones. Interactions are safe because phone numbers are always kept private, and messages are sent with no open replies.



Teachers, students and parents can see messages from all their classes in one place.For students and parents, Remind provides an easier way to stay informed outside of the classroom. Students and parents can download the app and opt-in to receive messages faster with push notifications, so they never miss a beat! Use Remind to send free text messages to save time, engage students and involve parents with your class. Try it today! And if you love it, share it with your colleagues or write a review! "

Check out this guide to learn more about how to use Remind in your class.


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A Step by Step Guide on How to Record A Screencast on Chromebook Using Google Plus Hangout

10:19 PM  ,  

October 6 , 2014
In a post I shared a few days ago, I featured three web tools to use to create screencasts on Chromebook: These are Screencastify, Snagit for Chrome and Google Plus Hangout on Air. Following this post I received a couple of emails from some teachers inquiring about how to use the last option which is Hangout on Air. So I went ahead and created this visual step by step  guide to help you create a screencast via Hangout on Air. This method works in all devices including Chromebook.

1- First, make sure you are logged in your Google account then head over to YouTube home page and click on the "upload" button.



2- Next, click on "broadcast" in Google+ Hangout On Air



3- Type in a name for your Hangout and then click on "share". You don't need to invite anyone.



4- To start broadcasting and recording your Hangout click on "start". In the next window that shows up click on "start broadcast". Now your Hangout will be live on both Google+ and YouTube.



.

5- Hover your mouse over the left side of the window until the task bar pops up then click on "Screenshare"


6- Choose the screen you want to share.



Now, whatever you do on the selected screen will be recorded in the Hangout. Click on "stop hangout" to end your recording.



 Your recorded screencast is now available On your YouTube  channel in your uploaded video section. You can share it with your students or even make it private.


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3 Great Tools to Record Screencasts on Chromebook

8:19 PM    

September 26, 2014
When it comes to creating screencasts on Chromebook, several of the popular screencasting web tools (e.g Screencastomatic and Screenr) are out of the list because they require Java and  Chromebook does not run Java. That being said, there are , however, several alternative ways to for Chromebook users to create screencasts. Here are 3 of the best of them:

1- Google hangout
This is one the my favourite ways to record a screencast on a Chromebook. Using Google Hangout Air will allow you to share your screen with others and and everything you do on your screen will be automatically recorded and saved to your YouTube channel. Watch this excellent video tutorial from Brian Bennette to learn more about how to record a screencast using Google hangout.



2- SnagIt
The Snagit for Google Chrome Extension makes it possible for you to capture screenshots and screen video recordings within your Chrome browser. Using TechSmith Snagit for Google Chrome, you can quickly capture and save whatever you see on your computer screen.
To use Snagit extension you will need to install with it Snagit for Chrome app. Watch this video to learn more about how to use Snagit for screencasting. Jonathan has also a very good article with more illustrations on how to use Snagit.



Screencastify is a simple video screen capture software (aka. screencast recorder) for Chrome. It is able to record all screen activity inside a tab, including audio. Just press record and the content of your tab is recorded. So you can easily create a screencast for video tutorials, record presentations etc. It has experimental desktop capturing support. So it can record anything on your screen (not just tabs). Keyboard shortcuts can be configured.

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Awesome Chromebook Comparison Chart for Schools and Teachers

9:42 PM    

September 10, 2014
Chromebooks are a very good and cheap solution for integrating tech particularly in schools running 1:1 programs. The great thing about Chromebooks is not only their lightweight but also their simplicity and practical performance features. Several school districts, particularly in this new school year, are opting for them. So if you or your school is planning to use them, you will probably need to see this collection of excellent video tutorials that provide a general overview of the different features and functionalities embedded in Chromebooks.

There is also this wonderful comparison chart created by software developer Danny Tuppeny in which he compares a set of variables for choosing the right Chromebook for you. These variables include :"brand, processors, specs and features like RAM or touchscreens, screen size, country-wise availability, battery, weight and more." 
Click here to access the full version of this chart.


Courtesy of Life Hacker

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Chromebook Management A Detailed Guide

6:38 PM    

September 4, 2014
Following the posting of "Chromebook Tutorials for Teachers" somebody sent me this new video tutorial from Google Gooru. The video is a little bit long ( 54 minutes) but is really insightful. It provides a general overview of Chromebook management through Google Apps. If you or your school is planning to use Chromebooks with students, you should definitely watch this tutorial.

As a refresher, here are some of the things K-12 schools can do with Chromebooks:

  • Scale access to the web with computers that are simple to use and easy to distribute
  • Share devices among students, with no manual set-up for different users
  • Enjoy constant connectivity through integrated Wi-Fi and optional 3G, for always-on access without relying on school networks
  • Administer machines throughout the school, no matter how many Chrome devices you have, or where they’re being used



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Everything Teachers Need to Know about Chromebooks (9 Tutorials)

8:17 PM    

August, 2014
Chromebooks are making gigantic inroads in the education sector. Several school districts here in Canada and the States are adopting them as teaching tools within classrooms. Their growing popularity among the education community is attributable not only to their reasonably cheap price but also to a host of excellent features that you can not find in other devices. Chromebooks are easier to handle, faster and more secure. They are also " instantly personalizable by each student or teacher, and easy to manage, making them an ideal solution for bringing the power of the web to your classrooms".



Here are some of the things K-12 schools can do with Chromebooks:
  • Scale access to the web with computers that are simple to use and easy to distribute
  • Share devices among students, with no manual set-up for different users
  • Enjoy constant connectivity through integrated Wi-Fi and optional 3G, for always-on access without relying on school networks
  • Administer machines throughout the school, no matter how many Chrome devices you have, or where they’re being used
If your school is integrating Chrombooks or if you are planning to use them with your student, the video tutorials below are definitely something you want to watch first. They will help learn more about how to manage and operate Chromebooks.

1- Chomebooks for Education : Overview



2- How to Log in for The First Time on Your Chromebook



3- Set The Background Are of your Chromebook




4- The launcher


5- Chromebook Tabs



6- Window Control




7- How to enable Caps Lock, use the special keys, and more on your Chromebook



8- How to create a new document (and find it later) on your Chromebook



9- How to print from your Chromebook



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